Finding Balance: Integrating AI to Support Special Education Teachers and Students

Teaching in diverse classrooms can be overwhelming, especially when supporting students with special needs while managing curriculum demands. This session explores how AI tools can help educators find balance by streamlining instructional planning, personalizing learning, and supporting executive functioning for students with disabilities. Participants will experience hands-on demonstrations of AI applications, discover strategies to integrate AI ethically and effectively, and leave with practical tips to reduce teacher workload while improving student engagement and outcomes. Learning Objectives include the following: Identify AI tools that support differentiation, organization, and student engagement in SPED classrooms. Apply AI strategies to streamline lesson planning and assessment without sacrificing instructional quality. Implement AI to support executive functioning and personalized learning for students with special needs. Create a plan for maintaining balance between teaching responsibilities and innovative technology integration. Session Agenda: Introduction & Context (5 min): Challenges of balancing teaching and supporting SPED students. AI Tools in Action (15 min): Demonstration of practical AI applications for lesson planning, differentiation, and student support. Integration Strategies (15 min): Tips for incorporating AI responsibly, ethically, and sustainably in the classroom. Interactive Planning Activity (15 min): Participants develop a personalized action plan for using AI to create balance. Q&A / Reflection (10 min): Discuss challenges, successes, and next steps.